LocationsEmpowering Digital Resilience in the Federated States of Micronesia
July 29, 2024
] Participants of the Cyber Security Forum organized by Micronesian Productions, supported by the UNDP Pacific Digital Democracy Initiative and the European Union.
Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia: In the promotion of digital resilience and online safety in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Micronesian Productions hosted a Cyber Security Forum in Pohnpei, earlier this month. This forum, supported by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Digital Democracy Initiative (PDDI) and the European Union (EU), will empower citizens and civil society through digital transformation.
Bringing together key stakeholders from government, media, the private sector, and civil society to informed and empowered participants about the importance of proactively engaging in digital safety activities to protect themselves, their businesses, and their communities from online threats.
In his welcome remarks, Nigel Jaynes, Executive Director of Micronesian Productions, expressed gratitude to all participants:
“It is great to see new as well as familiar faces. Today, we are not only assessing threats and defenses, but we are building a community that can stand strong against the challenges of the digital world."
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in the North Pacific, Kevin Petrini, echoed this vision, highlighting the need to protect users, especially women and youth, from online vulnerabilities.
“Digital platforms can be powerful tools for empowerment and advocacy. However, they can also be misused to intimidate, harass, stalk, and silence people, especially women and girls. This not only infringes on their rights but also perpetuates a culture of fear and discrimination, highlighting the importance of establishing robust cybersecurity measures,” he said.
The forum featured speakers including AJ Harris from UNDP, who discussed prevention and response to cyber-attacks; Dhiraj Bhartu from the College of Micronesia, who addressed emerging trends and tools for protecting users, especially women and youth; and Anne Dunn, Chief Technical Adviser of the PDDI project, who led a dialogue on policy formulation to inform and support employees and individuals regarding cybersecurity issues.
UNDP Pacific Office in the FSM IT Associate AJ Harris discussing prevention and response to cyber-attacks.
Mr. Harris emphasized the importance of being proactive in mandating cybersecurity awareness trainings within organizations and testing software updates before rolling them out.
"Know your company's system and how to handle updates to ensure they are working and appropriate. As the saying goes with great power comes great responsibility; the power of digitalization is upon us, and cybersecurity is our responsibility," he said.
Mr. Bhartu reminded participants that while technology is expanding, especially in accessing information, it is essential to keep users informed about risks.
"We are making strides in making education accessible through technology, but we need to make sure everyone knows how to stay safe, especially with the increasing prevalence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cryptocurrency,” he said.
Key topics covered included best practice for safeguarding business and personal data, strategies for identifying and responding to cyber threats, the importance of online safety and privacy, and resources and tools available for enhancing cyber security.
Insights and contributions from the forum will be shared through a radio program to disseminate information on cybersecurity to the wider community of Pohnpei.
The PDDI plans to run workshops with civil society organizations (CSO) to enhance their capacity in using digital tools such as data visualization techniques and social media analytics. Moreover, a South-South Summit on Digital Transformation is scheduled for the last quarter of the year in Suva, Fiji, where CSO grantees will share their experiences and further their collective knowledge on digital transformation.
For more information please contact:
Nick Turner | Communications and Advocacy Specialist | UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji | nicholas.turner@undp.org
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